broody/baby chicklets feeding issues!

[adbayer]

my newest banty has gone broody!!! so i ordered her some eggs, and today when they came in, i moved her to the broody pen(so that when she hatches these babies out, they only get starter/grower, and not layer ration) she was NOT having it. she just paced. refused to sit on her nest(i picked up what she was on in the other pen, and brought it over) and just wanted to go back... so i gave up for the eggs sake... and moved her back. she immedietly sat on her eggs and tucked them in tight, and then screached at the newest "pre-teen" to the pen, who was curious as to what in the world she was huffing and a puffing about. . .
im perfectly fine in leaving her in that pen, but the nesting boxes are 3ft off the ground and im worried about new hatchlings falling out...

and then food... how do i keep them from eating layer ration?

does everyone move their broody out? or leave them and chicks in their main coop? what do you do with your broodys?

im not even a year into chickens, so forgive my ignorance i just dont want to hurt the little babies with all that protien!

 

[Matt A NC]

Most I can move to set on eggs, but "Mama Hen" will not set anywhere except her nest that is in the henhouse. Her favorite nest is also 3 feet off the ground. I mark the eggs so that any that are added can be removed before they start to develop too.

I try to move her once the chicks start to hatch. Once they start hatching she will set where ever the chicks are. This last time I waited till the hatch was done and then moved her to the fresh nest in the 5' broody box. I made sure a feeder of starter and a waterer were within reach. She stretched her neck and picked up mouth fulls of food and put it in the nest and called the babies. I also make sure the front of the nest is low enough for the day olds to get in and out easily.

This was her the next day when she brought them out of the nest: http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q308/matt_iag/May2710/MammaChicks5.jpg

Matt

 

[adbayer]

Thank you!!! i may need to move her sooner than later like i hoped ... today she had added eggs that the other girls had laid, and hers were barely under her:/